HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNORS

Evening Star, Issue 20048, 13 December 1928, Page 18

HIGH SCHOOL GOVERNORS

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of tho High Schools’ Board of Governors was held yesterday afternoon, when Dr G. E. Thompson presided, and there were also present Messrs J. J. Milliard, J, C. Stephens. W. R. Brugh, J. M. Callaway, D. T. Fleming, and Mrs Park. Accounts amounting to £2,0215 7s 5d wore passed lor payment. A letter was received from tho Education Department stating that a grant of £4O had been approved for tho purchase of permanent scientific apparatus for tho Boys’ High School.—-Received. A letter was received from Mr D. J. Cal dor, president of tho Old Boys’ Society, stating that on tho afternoon of tho break-up ceremony of tho school old boys of tho first decado (1863-73 inclusive) were to bo entertained at afternoon tea, and members of tho board were invited to bo ■ present.—Tho invitation was accepted. It was recommended that tho David Baxter memorial bursaries bo awarded to William Hudson (boys’ school) and Joyce Sqohlo ■ (girls’ school) .—Adopted. Tho board decided to write to Mr R. A. Wright (Into Minister of Education) congratulating him on tho very cordial relations which had existed hetoon fhe board ami tho Education Department during Mr Wright’s term of olliee. Miss A. Kindle tendered her resignation as iypisic.—Accepted with regret.

MEM HE ns CONGRATULATED. Al. the beginning of tho proceedings Dr Thompson said that ho thought tliafc that was tho occasion when they should extend their heartv congratulations to Messrs T. 3v. Sidey and W. B. Tavcruor, bnlli members of tho board, on their elevation to Cabinet rank. There wore few boards, said Dr Thompson, which could say that one-quarter of their members were members of Cabinet and that three-eighths of their members were honourables. GUAY RUSSELL SCHOLARSHIP. The report of tho committee appointed to go into the Gray llusscll scholarship regulations recommended that clauses 1 and S he amended to read ns follows Tho annual value of the Gray Russell scholarships shall be forty pounds (£4O). Where, in tho opinion of the Otago High Schools’ Board (hereinafter, referred to as the trustees), tho holder is obliged to live away from home in order to prosecute his studies, there shall he paid to him an additional sum of twenty pounds (£2O) per annum. The holders of Gray Russell scholarships shall bo required to attend the classes in tho University of Otago and pass tho examinations necessary lor keeping in each year terms in at least two subjects in tho curriculum prescribed lor the R.A. degree, ami also to obtain credit for at least four units of the B.A. course by tho end of the second vear, provided that it shall bo competent for tho trustees to exempt from compliance with any part of the foregoing requirements holders of scholarships who arc unuhlo to attend classes or to present themselves at examinations on account of illness or other sufficient cause.—Approved. SWIMMING ACTIVITIES. At its November meeting the hoard had before it tho report on school swimming of the educational o(licer_ of tho New' Zealand Amateur Swimming Association (Otago Centre). The report showed that only six. pupils of the Otago Boys’ High School had qualified for tho association’s certificates during the 1927-28 season, and the board, not knowing whether any importance should bo attached to tho figures, asked the rector for Iris comments on tho reporu as it affected tho school.—Tho Rector, in Ids reply, staled that no tests were held by the School Swimming Club dining tho year 1927, ami tho six candidates who qualified for certificates must have done so at tho Municipal Baths or elsewhere. Tho present educational officer, ho had been informed, hart shown much zeal and energy in furthering the -work of Ids association in the .schools. Ho had kept well in touch with the masters, and several tests had been conducted during the present term at tho school baths by tho masters, according to tho recognised practice. Up to date 150 candidates had qualified for certificates, and tho greater number at least of those certificates had been received and distributed—possi by all. At tho same time it might bo worth saying tliafc the number of candidates from tho school obtaining certificates was far from being a criterion of the work done in teaching and encouraging swimming. Boys who came to the school already able to swim well—and there were a growing number of those—were, according to the reports made, not so inclined to trouble about the certificate. In past times they often had a fair number of boys coming forward for long-distance certificates, but the association now, no doubt for very sound reasons, adopted the policy for giving none beyond 880yds. That also cut out some.—Received.

PHOTOGRAPH OF HR R. V. FULTON. A letter was received from Mrs L. A, Fulton and Hr Roland Fulton .stating that they were sending an enlarged photograph of the late Hr R. F. Fulton. The writers desired to present also a brass plate to be placed beneath the photograph.—Tho gifts were accepted with thanks, and it was decided that the photograph should bo hung in the Fulton block at tho hoys’ school. APPOINTMENTS. Tho appointments of Messrs J. L. Anderson and N, E. W. fiarclay as permanent masters at tho boys’ school wore confirmed. Mr C. R. Spackman was appointed singing teacher at the girls’ school. lIKOTOR’S REPORT. The rector’s report for 1926 slated that tho entry of new boys showed a slight drop from the figures for 1926 and 1927, but this was more than compensated by the greater number of hoys returning. Tho increase was fortunately nob large enough to cause trouble, the total roll on March 1 being 719? against 703 on March 1, 1927. There seemed reason to anticipate some further incrcasfe nest year, 'that would entail real difficulties in the organisation and working of the school, and tho limits of their accommodation, even with tho recent temporary extension, must ere long be, reached. There were, on general grounds, strong arguments against allowing schools to go beyond a total of 700 or 750 at (lie outside, and those arguments were in their ease reinforced by the difficulty of finding additional playing areas. The average length of stay for the 207 boys who ended their secondary course in December, 1926, or during Ihe current year was nine terms.two weeks, or just over three years. That showed an improvement of over seven weeks on last year, andwas the highest figure yet readied. It might ho due in large measure to a slackening in the demand for boys in business houses, though as the year went on that apparently became rather brighter, and more boys left accordingly. One most satisfactory feature in the year had been the very small number of first-year boys who had dropped out—neglecting transfers only five out of 2-32, or just over 2 per cent. _ Somewhat exaggerated views were still being expressed from time to time as to the number of beys who loft after a very short stay at the school. Ho found that the proportion of 1927 entrants who left at or before tho end of their first year was something under 10 per cent.,, and that of the 1926 entrants who left at or before

tlio end of their second year 33.7 per cent. Tho average ago of tho new entrants continued to fall as a result of expedited progress in the higher standards of the primary school; in 1922 it was thirteen years ten months, against thirteen years five and a-quarter months in 1928- Tho average of 11IA., their highest first-year class, was only thirteen years one month.—The report was received.